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Elihu Hubbard Smith
by George J. Dance Dr. Elihu Hubbard Smith (September 4, 1771 - September 21, 1798) was an American poet and editor, who edited the earliest anthology of American poetry. Life Smith was born at Lichfield, Connecticut, the son of Dr. Reuben Smith. He entered Yale College at an early age, graduating in 1786; then did graduate work at the Greenfield Academy, under Timothy Dwight IV. He then studied medicine under his father,Duyckinck, 623-624. and attended the annual medical lectures in Philadelphia in 1791."Memoirs of Dr. Elihu Hubbard Smith," Lady's Monitor York 1 (22 May 1802), 315. English Poety, 1579-1830, Center for Applied Technologies in the Humanities, Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University. Web, Nov. 21, 2016. Receiving his diploma, in 1792 he began the practice of medicine in the town of Wethersfield, where he resided for about 2 years. During this period Dr. Smith became known in a literary character. He had given early proof of the possession of poetical talents, and while in Philadelphia had contributed to the periodical press a few articles under the signature of "Ella"A. His present residence was more favorable to the cultivation and exercise of his literary taste. He was received by the celebrated poets of that city to their most intimate society; and although associated but in a slight degree with their literary labors, he was nevertheless a member of their brotherhood. He contributed a few passages to some of the earlier numbers of The Echo, and wrote also for the newspapers of the city.Everest, 105-107. In 1793, appeared from the Litchfield press, American Poems: Selected and original, edited by Smith. The volume contained writing by John Trumbull, Timothy Dwight, Joel Barlow, David Humphreys, Lemuel Hopkins, Richard Alsop, and other authors, whose names are given, and also many anonymous poems, selected from the newspapers of the day, as possessing peculiar merit. It was the earliest general collection of poetry ever attempted in the country, and the literature of that day is indebted to its editor. In 1794 Smith moved to New York City, where he devoted himself to the cultivation of medical science and of literature. He kept bachelor's hall with his friend William Johnson, the lawyer, in genial and hospitable style, in a house in Pine street, the head-quarters of the Friendly Club. He wrote a play, and a number of sonnets and essays, for the magazines of the day. He soon became distinguished for his attainments, and obtained extensive practice. In 1796, he was elected one of the physicians of the hospital, and during the same year in conjunction with Drs. Samuel L. Mitchill and Edward Miller, commenced the publication of The Medical Repository, to which he contributed many valuable papers. In 1797, Smith published Edwin and Angelina, or The Banditti: An opera, in three acts, and in 1798 he edited the first American edition of Erasmus Darwin's long poem The Botanic Garden, to which he prefixed a poetic address to the author, correctly describing the rise, process and use of the art of Printing as connected with Science, and particularly its effect in spreading the Botanic Song throughout the world. This was the last of our author's literary labors. In September of the same year, during an epidemic of yellow fever which ravaged New York, he fell a victim, after taking Joseph B. Scandella, an Italian writer suffering from the disease, into his home. Writing Edwin and Angelina is an opera, founded upon the celebrated ballad of Oliver Goldsmith. Though not published until 1797, it was in part written in 1791, and was brought out upon the stage in 1794. It was highly successful, but as a poem it cannot claim any superior merit. The above-mentioned opera, and the Epistle to Darwin, are the chief literary remains of our author. He wrote an irregular poem, somewhat after the manner of Gray's "Bard," descriptive of Indian character and manners, which was never published. A gentleman of high literary reputation, and of nice critical judgment, to whom it was submitted, assures us that it was a poem of great merit, and decidedly the best of Dr. Smith's productions. This poem, together with all the author's manuscripts, was destroyed by accident after his death. "His writings, already published, incessantly awaken regret, that the number of them is not greater. They will long do honour to his memory. They display singular diligence and acuteness of research, the talents of accurate and extensive observation, great force and precision of reasoning, and the range of a vigorous and comprehensive mind." Publications Poetry *poems in The Poetry of the Minor Connecticut Wits (edited by Benjamin Franklin). Gainesville, FL: Scholars' Facsimiles & Reprints, 1970; Delmar, NY: Scholars' Facsimiles & Reprints, 1974. Opera *''Edwin and Angelina; or, The banditi: An opera, in three acts'' (with music by Victor Pelissier). New York: T. & J. Swords, 1797. Non-fiction *prose in The Prose of the Minor Connecticut Wits (edited by Benjamin Franklin). Gainesville, FL: Scholars' Facsimiles & Reprints, 1970; Delmar, NY: Scholars' Facsimiles & Reprints, 1974. Edited *''American poems: Selected and original''. Litchfield, CT: Collier & Buell, 1793 **(with introduction by William K. Bottorf). Gaynesville, FL: Scholars' Facsimiles & Reprints, 1966. *''The Medical Repository'' (journal; edited with S.L. Mitchell & E. Miller). New York: 1798. *Erasmus Darwin, The Botanic Garden: A poem, in two parts. . New York: T. & J. Swords, 1798. Journal *''Diary, 1771-1798'' (edited by James E. Cronin). Philadelphia: American Philosophical Society, 1973. Except where noted, bibliographical information courtesy WorldCat.Search results = au:Elihu Hubbard Smith, WorldCat, OCLC Online Computer Library Center Inc. Web, Nov. 21, 2016. See also *The Hartford Wits *List of U.S. poets References *"Elihu Hubbard Smith," Cyclopedia of American Literature (edited by George and Evert Duyckinck), 1856, 1875, I:623-624. English Poety, 1579-1830, Center for Applied Technologies in the Humanities, Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University. Web, Nov. 21, 2016. *Charles Everest, "Elihu Hubbard Smith," Poets of Connecticut (1843), 105-107. English Poety, 1579-1830, Center for Applied Technologies in the Humanities, Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University. Web, Nov. 21, 2016. Notes External links ;Poems *"A Fragment: In imitation of Spenser" ;Books *Elihu Hubbard Smith at Amazon.com ;About *Dr. Elihu Hubbard Smith (1771-1798) at English Poetry, 1579-1830 Category:1771 births Category:1798 deaths Category:18th-century poets Category:American poets Category:English-language poets Category:American editors Category:Poetry anthologists Category:Poets Category:Hartford Wits